The present invention relates to a novel and useful process for co-polymerizing unsaturated vegetable oils and fatty acids.
Polymerized vegetable oils have found use as lubricants, waxes, binders for wood products, and the like. Also, polymerized vegetable oils and fatty acids may be employed to disperse pigments in paints and in inks. Moreover, it is well known that vegetable oils and fatty acids that are polymerized are more valuable in the marketplace than in their natural state.
In the past, vegetable oils have been mixed with other components to provide a lubricant additive. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,970,010 describes such a process.
New U.S. Pat. No. 5,229,023 describes a group of lubricant additives that comprise telomerized triglyceride vegetable oils.
An article entitled "Magic Beans: Soy Oil Forms New `Green` Composite," ENN Daily News, Oct. 31, 1997 describes the use of soy oil triglycerides and which are reformulated through the process of epoxidization.
A process for easily polymerizing unsaturated vegetable oils and fatty acids would be a notable advance in the chemical industries.